Pakistan condemns Taliban attacks in Afghanistan

Islamabad, April 17 (IANS) Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar Monday called her Afghan counterpart Zalmai Rassoul over phone to strongly condemn the Taliban attacks in the country that killed nearly 50 people.

Khar conveyed solidarity of her government and people of Pakistan with their Afghan brethren on the terrorist attacks, reported Xinhua quoting a foreign ministry statement.

On Sunday, Taliban rebels stormed Kabul with intense gunfire and rocket attacks targeting key establishments in the heavily guarded diplomatic area. The assault ended after all the attackers were killed Monday.

At least 48 people, including 36 terrorists, were killed and 65 injured in the 18-hour dramatic siege of the Afghan capital Kabul by Taliban suicide attackers.

On this occasion, Khar also emphasised that Pakistan and Afghanistan faced common challenges of extremism and terrorism necessitating that the two countries work together with greater resolve to eradicate this menace.

She assured the Afghan foreign minister of Pakistan's full support for any Afghan initiative that is focused on long-term peace and stability of Afghanistan.

The latest attacks came as western forces prepare to leave the country under a plan to hand over full responsibility for security to Afghan forces by 2014.